Charged particle beam scattering system
First Claim
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1. A radiation treatment apparatus, comprising:
- a source of charged particles which provides a charged particle beam; and
a scattering foil in the path of the particle beam, said scattering foil being comprised of a high z material which substantially changes the diameter of the particle beam without substantially changing the energy of the particles, said beam intercepting said scattering foil at a beam intercept portion, said scattering foil having a thickness at said beam intercept portion of said scattering foil, said scattering foil being configured so that said thickness at said beam intercept portion is continuously adjustable through a range of thicknesses, the thickness of said scattering foil being uniform throughout said beam intercept portion through said range of thicknesses.
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Abstract
A radiation treatment apparatus comprises a source of charged particles, preferably protons, for producing a particle beam, and a scattering foil for changing the diameter of the charged particle beam. The scattering foil is configured so that its thickness is both uniform and continuously adjustable throughout a range of thicknesses.
233 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A radiation treatment apparatus, comprising:
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a source of charged particles which provides a charged particle beam; and a scattering foil in the path of the particle beam, said scattering foil being comprised of a high z material which substantially changes the diameter of the particle beam without substantially changing the energy of the particles, said beam intercepting said scattering foil at a beam intercept portion, said scattering foil having a thickness at said beam intercept portion of said scattering foil, said scattering foil being configured so that said thickness at said beam intercept portion is continuously adjustable through a range of thicknesses, the thickness of said scattering foil being uniform throughout said beam intercept portion through said range of thicknesses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of treating a patient by directing radiation onto a treatment field within said patient, said method comprising:
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producing a beam of charged particles having an energy which varies with time; using a high z material to scatter at least some of said charged particles to provide an expanded beam having a cross-sectional area sized to cover at least a substantial portion of said treatment field, said scattering step comprising the step of directing the beam to intercept scattering material at a beam intercept portion of the scattering foil; and controlling said scattering in accordance with the variations in the energy of said beam such that the size of the cross section of the expanded beam on the treatment field is substantially independent of said variations, said step of controlling comprising the step of adjusting the thickness of the scattering material within a range of thicknesses, while maintaining a uniform thickness of scattering material through the beam intercept portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification